Ken Raske, Joyce Hanna, and Kim Wyman in the AHCC Library

On Friday, May 31^st the Airway Heights Corrections Center Branch of the Washington State Library had two special visitors: Secretary of State Kim Wyman and Assistant Secretary of State Ken Raske. The visit lasted around an hour and a half. AHCC Associate Superintendent Ron Haynes was also in attendance. On the way into the library, they got to see the inmates working with the dogs and Ron Haynes explained the program to them. The visit was very comfortable. Both Kim Wyman and Ken Raske were very interested in the library and what we are doing here. They asked lots of questions and toured the library. They were interested in our Re-entry Resources and our Library Reads Program. Both asked questions about our collection. I showed them the workroom, which is full of gift materials and explained how we go about deciding which items to add and which items to offer to other branch libraries. Then I explained that what is left over we offer to a list of other places. They were both very concerned about our safety and security and Ron Haynes explained the security side of the institution.  On the way out we stopped by the Law Library, which is run by DOC. They both showed an interest in what legal resources were available to the inmates. I introduced them to Rachael Shook who runs the Law Library here. Kim Wyman and Ken Raske are very personable people and I felt at ease with them. I was very impressed with both of them and I think Kim is going to make a fantastic Secretary of State and I am personally glad to have her in charge of the office. 

Ken Raske and Kim Wyman in front of AHCC

I grew up in a library family and love freedom of information. At the end of September I will be sporting my “I Read Banned Books” button and giving out bookmarks of banned books. I speak fanatically about how wonderful it is that anyone can get information about anything if they have a library card. If I hear, “Should that be allowed in the Library?!?!?” I give a little lecture about how the only person who has a right to censor information is that person themselves, and when I see someone in the public library looking at pornography I chuckle and walk away.

That being said I understand that Prison is a different setting entirely and that if the Safety and Security of the Institution is compromised because of a book, how to make a bomb for example, that book should not be available. When I applied for the job I was worried that I would be banning books left and right, no sex, no violence, and no drugs!!! This is not the case. I was happy and surprised to see that the Institutional Library System works hard at deciding what is and isn’t allowed and does not restrict lightly. How to cross-stitch almost anything: Allowed. How to escape from prison: Not Allowed. Concrete Mama: Allowed. Hacking for dummies: Not Allowed. It’s hard to imagine a time when a book could be banned because of an amoral message or because animals were talking and wearing clothes. It is equally hard to justify checking out a book to a prisoner that advocates violence against a specific group of people. However, you should rest easy knowing that Danielle Steel and Jake Logan are on the shelves and ready for action.